String Telephone
by left4ever
Summary: Hinata and Kageyama are at Hinata's house to finish their extra schoolwork. While they struggle to finish it, Natsu asks a favor of Hinata. She asks him to make her a string telephone, a thing which will reveal something and will perhaps lead to another. (originally posted in AO3)


A small bead of tear formed at the corner of Kageyama's eye as he yawned. Putting his pen down, he stretched his arms then unfolded his legs. Stretching them across the floor, he allowed himself to fall on his back with arms on his side and hands rested on top of his tummy. With a scowl plastered on his face, he heaved a sigh and muttered, "…Tired."

Hearing this, Hinata stopped his scribbling. Pouting, he put his pen down and turned to Kageyama, "Oi, oi! Quit your whining, Kageyama! If we don't get this done, we might get suspended from the club because of a failing grade! I want to play volleyball more!" Despite saying so though, he, after doing a little stretching with his arms, lay down on his back as well and yawned.

Noticing him do so, Kageyama snorted. As much as he wanted to reprimand Hinata for being such a hypocrite, he decided to let it pass and close his eyes instead. He wasn't quitting. He wasn't giving up. He was just taking a break—just like what he did a few minutes ago—because damn was it tiring to do something he didn't like to do (ehem study ehem).

* * *

Today was a Sunday. It was supposed to be Kageyama's and Hinata's day off from all school activities (including club activities). They were supposed to be resting—or playing more volleyball separately (or together, whatever). But no. Just fucking no. Instead, there they were at Hinata's house, in the living room, doing extra schoolwork because they were at the verge of getting suspended from their club activities because of a subject known as Mathematics.

Life, really.

If there was anything the quick freak duo learned from this experience, sometimes, you really have to do the things you don't want to do in order to be able to do the things you want to do. In their case, if they wanted to play volleyball more, they had to study—study really damn hard.

What a drag. But for volleyball, it should be fine.

If it meant spending more time with his crush, it should be fine—wait.

What?

* * *

Silence erupted between the setter and his spiker, but it took The Greatest Decoy around ten minutes before he realized this silence, as well as another fact.

"Hey Kage—"

Glancing to his side, the decoy was cut off midway his sentence. He couldn't help but twitch at the sight that occupied his vision. He released a soft sigh. But eventually, his lips unconsciously curved into a small smile.

It seemed like The King of the Court had fallen asleep.

* * *

Hinata turned to his side and quietly watched his currently sleeping partner on court. Seeing Kageyama like this, he couldn't help but acknowledge how much of a stud the setter was. His long arced black lashes, his smooth fair skin, his velvety hair and his seemingly soft lips—Hinata wanted to feel them. He wanted to touch them. Maybe with his hands, or maybe with his own: Lashes to lashes, skin to skin, hair to hair, lips to lips.

He clicked his tongue and sighed. A feeling of frustration had bubbled up in his chest. It's been quite some time since he started having these feelings for his teammate. All these desires though, and yet, to be quite honest, he couldn't even remember how he got them in the first place. Ahh, but maybe he didn't get them; maybe they just developed. Maybe that's why. Nevertheless, it was somewhat irritating. But it wasn't like finding out now was going to make his situation any better as it was now, was it?

Another sigh.

Oh well, whatever. Anyway, right now wasn't the time to be thinking about this. They had schoolwork to finish, all right! For volleyball.

Mentally chanting 'For volleyball', Hinata sat up. Hitting his cheeks lightly to maybe get himself together or channel back his sense of reality, he took a deep breath in then exhaled loudly, "Yush! It's time to get back to work!"

Saying so, he turned back to the setter and began shaking him awake. This shaking was accompanied with a bit of yelling, "Oi, Kageyama! You just fell asleep! Wake up! How are we going to stay longer on court when we're going to get suspended because we failed math! Hey, wake up!"

"Kaageeeyaamaaa!"

* * *

After exactly twenty minutes of shaking and yelling, finally, Hinata was able to bring Kageyama back to consciousness. God. He was such a heavy sleeper that he could've hit him with a ball a hundred times and he wouldn't even flinch an inch. It was definitely troublesome—but at the same time really cute (or that could just be Hinata—the heavier sleep, the more reason to keep touching him to wake him up, right?).

But really, he should stop thinking about how cute this was. They had a work to finish, goddamn it!

Much to his chagrin, even after all the trouble he went through trying to wake the setter up, it appeared that they still wouldn't be able to proceed to what they were doing. Just when they've both finally picked up their pen and found their resolution really, suddenly, the door burst open revealing a young girl who was carrying two plastic cups and a meter and a half long yarn and had a striking resemblance with Shouyou—Hinata Natsu.

"Big brother," she immediately started, stomping her way to the kotatsu where her brother and his friend were supposed to be studying. Dropping the items she had in her arm on the table, she requested, "I need you to make a string telephone for me, please. Science project and varsity training, not good a good combo. Please!"

* * *

Hinata would've just offered to help his sister, not do everything for her—but today was a Sunday, and Sunday was varsity time for her sister, and apparently, she needed the string telephone this upcoming Monday. How could he possibly decline? He knew his sister wouldn't be able to concentrate on her kickball activities if he didn't agree.

Though he'd nag her later a bit for forgetting to tell him sooner, right now, everything was daijobu.

He was making string telephones with his crush. Despite the heavy workload that was to get piled up and the cramming they'd most likely have to do later, at least Kageyama would have to stay longer. That's a plus. Definitely a plus (that's why only a bit of nagging for her sister instead of the usual dosage).

Catching himself thinking of these kind of things again, Hinata clicked his tongue then sighed sharply. He decided to try and distract himself in something other (like his childhood and string telephones) in fear of accidentally blurting out something he most likely shouldn't.

* * *

"String telephones huh. These things sure do bring back memories!"

Finished with the assembling (which only took around seven minutes—or less), Hinata took a cup in each hand. With a smug look on his face, he began animatedly pulling on his creation, forceful enough to stretch the string, but not enough to disassemble what he had put together.

As Hinata goofed around with the string telephone, Kageyama stared intensely at Hinata—or rather, the object he was holding. A scowl graced his face and there was some sort of—was that doubt?—in his eyes.

"Oi… does… that thing really work?" Although hesitant to ask, he was able to do so anyway. So seriously, that Hinata was immediately able to tell what's up with the reaction.

"You, don't tell me you haven't played with these before!?" Yep. He totally hit the jackpot.

Caught off guard, Kageyama flinched. Realizing his error, he glanced away and began mumbling, "Well… what if I haven't? Doesn't matter to you. Tch. My childhood was volleyball, okay? Volleyball. Only."

There was a faint tint of pink at the corner of Kageyama's cheeks—something of which Hinata failed not to notice.

After that, maybe he got carried away.

Or maybe a part of him wanted to do something like this from the start.

But none of those mattered.

The point was—

"Wanna test out if this thing actually works?"

Hinata handed one of the cups to Kageyama.

Kageyama who was really curious took it, but with caution.

"Put it on your ear, and listen, okay?"

Although there was suspicion in his eyes, Kageyama did it anyway.

"Hey Kageyama," Hinata started.

Judging from how Kageyama's eyes lit up, it was safe to assume that the setter was able to hear him.

Much to Kageyama's surprise, that wasn't the only thing Hinata had to say to him.

"I like you. Go out with me."

—he might have just said something he shouldn't have.

Kageyama froze. The next thing he knew, the paper cup was no longer in his hand. It had long fallen on the floor while he stared at Hinata in shock.

At first, Hinata didn't really get why Kageyama suddenly lost grip of the cup.

It took him five seconds— **five goddamn seconds** to realize what just happened.

Oh.

Shit.

* * *

*note: originally posted in ao3.


End file.
